DHL Global Forwarding Expands Train Service Between Europe and China

In response to heavy customer demand, DHL Global Forwarding, the freight forwarding specialist of Deutsche Post DHL Group, introduced two new block train connections from Germany to China at the end of May.

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A new connection serving from the KTL terminal on the BASF site in Ludwigshafen travels via Poland, Belarus, Russia, and Kazakhstan to the destination terminal in Xi’an, the capital of the Chinese province Shaanxi.

In addition, DHL has deployed an express train connection between Neuss and Xi’an via Kaliningrad, reducing the transit time to 12 days.

With these connections, DHL Global Forwarding’s rail network is further expanding and providing customers access to faster lead times to Asia covering both less-than-container-load (LCL) and full-container-load (FCL).

Implementing complete block train routes from Europe to China reflects the growing demand for imports and speed to deliver to Asian countries complementing DHL’s existing block trains from Xi’an and Chengdu to Europe.

“In the last years, we observed an increasing demand for rail service products to and from China. Their cost-effectiveness, short transit time, and lower CO2 emissions compared to other transport modes make them an attractive alternative.”

Thomas Kowitzki, Head of Chinarail, Multimodal at DHL Global Forwarding Europe

New Train Service Shortens Transit Times

The new Germany-to-China rail services have been established in cooperation with long-term partner RTSB GmbH, Friedrichsdorf, Germany.

The block trains are loaded with goods from all over Europe and transported over 9,400 km (5,800 miles) to the central hub for train services in Xi’an, where DHL distributes the cargo within China and to neighboring countries like South Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

The new routes also shorten transit times for customers in other European countries like Benelux, France, Iberia, and the U.K.